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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27669511">100 Feet of Silk</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderRose/pseuds/Concupiscence'>Concupiscence (MurderRose)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEVENTEEN (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>1930s High Society AU, Anal Sex, Bloodplay, Body Worship, Cuckolding, Dom/sub, Flogging, Humiliation, Kneeling, M/M, Multi, Non-Sexual Kink, Sub Yoon Jeonghan, Submission, Whipping, a touch of the jihancheol, in case there was a doubt there, oh a tangle of relationships, some - Freeform, stuffing as much high society worldbuilding into this kink fic as I possibly can, we have lots of spouse swapping in the background</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:21:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27669511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderRose/pseuds/Concupiscence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Seungcheol knocked Jeonghan’s legs out further, taking the last semblance of balance and control away from him.  He teetered a little, but there was nowhere he could go.  Hands pressed above his head, legs spread too wide to be of help, and hips raised off the bed; all to showcase the unblemished skin—soon to be blemished.</p><p>"Gorgeous, my Marquess.  Just like that."</p><p> </p><p>AKA: The High Class Kink Fic</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>100 Feet of Silk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Baby_Nothing/gifts">Little_Baby_Nothing</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Congratulations on your dissertation, Emily-darling!!  Please enjoy this tantalising mix of kinks!</p><p>I do adore this fic, please give it the love it deserves.  That is: feedback.</p><p>Characters are clearly not 1930's Lords so it goes without saying that they are not SVT licenced, etc.</p><p>Enjoy, my sweets.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The tinkle of polite laughter could barely be heard over the smooth string quartet, their bows moving delicately to create music known the world over.  Debussy maybe, or Brahms.  One never knew, but somehow one was always expected to comment.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The polished ballroom was peppered with knots of the elegantly dressed upper class, each one of them holding a champagne flute between ring clad fingers and nibbling on exquisite hors d'oeuvres.  By the fireplace several of the Lords stood debating the latest proposal on universal suffrage, while a cluster of Ladies congregated by one of the bay windows to discuss the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a birthday perhaps, or a gala.  Nobody quite knew—there were at least two of these a week.  Each week the small talk became more inane and superficial; everyone was eagerly awaiting the summer recess so they could all flee to their country homes and take a well needed break.  The hostess nodded at the violinist and tapped her wristwatch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing by an incredible statue of an eagle, there were several tall people—four women and a man all in well draped garments—conversing quietly.  Three of the women were clad in haute couture from Christian Dior, the bodices elaborate creations of embroidery, the skirts long and delicate, in lace and crepe and silk.  Pieces of wearable art.  A long, golden necklace hung down over the fold of the man’s wrap-around silk shirt—fine strands of braided threads held together by a band of gold.  The necklace matched the rings on his fingers and the fine baubles in his ears.  His shirt was tucked into a pair of high-waisted black trousers, the linen cascading like a waterfall down his long legs.  He had his elbow set in his palm, gesturing at a man across the room with his flute, “Thank you!  Lord Choi gifted me a jewellery set for our first anniversary.  I’ve always thought that rose gold was my colour.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh it is, Hannie,” one of the women tipped her hip against him in a tease, “Shows off your beautiful colouring!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed and touched fingers to her shoulder, “Speaking of, that dress makes you glow!  Wherever did you come across it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” she looked around the group, holding the flute between her hands and leaning in, “I was going in to meet Robert for lunch, and the car dropped me off a little early.  So I had a stroll down the streets just beside The Ram, you know?  The new Michelin star place just beside the high courts?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I went last week with Lydia, and I have to say, we both had the duck and it was just divine.”  One of the Dior-clad women interjected with a look of rapture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Quite.  Well, on one of the side streets there’s this absolutely minute boutique, gloves and clutches in the windows, but inside they have three rails of gowns from fashion studios, prototypes they send out.  This is an original Xu Minghao.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is not!”  The man protested and she turned around and lifted her hair.  The man fished for the tag and read it off with a gasp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman turned back to him with a smile, “Told you so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But he only makes custom designs, how on earth did you,” the lady to her left dropped her voice, “afford it?  I know Lord Kim and you–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tiffany, please.  Let’s not cause any fights tonight?”  Her husband curled his hand around her waist, appearing out of nowhere, “Ladies, Marquess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all inclined their heads.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Charles, have you–” Tiffany turned but her husband cut her off gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to have to leave darling, I’ve just had a phone call.  I’m terribly sorry.  Enjoy the summer recess.” Charles nodded at each of them and barely gave Tiffany enough time to say her goodbyes before escorting her out of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The group waited until the doors had closed behind them to raise eyebrows and take pointed sips of their drinks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m still amazed, Yvonne, you have such luck!  A real Xu Minghao,” The Marquess smirked, “What a concept.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time the string quartet began a beautiful Strauss waltz, the gathering had grown slightly restless, and couples found their way into each other’s arms with barely restrained sighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Marquess took his husband’s hand, tilting his head for the gentle kiss upon his brow, “Did you reach any decisions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet, just talking round and round in circles.  I hear Lady Im has quite a lot to say, maybe she’ll convince Lord Lee.  Goodness knows I can’t seem to get through to his brain.  If he has one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Marquess laughed, quietly.  “Lady Forsyth made a scene, again.  I honestly don’t know how Lord Forsyth hasn’t been sued or challenged for someone’s honour at this stage.  Every time she opens her mouth,” He shook his head, “If I was like that you would, we would–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not be allowed to wear each other’s rings?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Marquess leaned his head against his husband’s shoulder as they swirled around the ballroom, “Something like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His husband squeezed his hand, “Well, you aren’t.  So don’t worry about things like that.  We’re married and everyone attended our wedding, if anyone has anything to say they would have said it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t wait to get away,” The Marquess said just as his husband spun him out into a turn, his trousers swirling.   “Just the two of us–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll have visitors, Sir Wen has already responded, he’s bringing his intended, and Lord Hong told you he’d–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“–Yes, but they’re people we choose to see.  And we’ll be mostly alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The waltz ended, they pulled back to bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Choi!  Lord Choi, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your father’s wishes, may I have this dance?”  Lady Kwon cut in without even a sideways glance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Kwon, I was dancing with my husband.”  Lord Choi’s voice was cold and she turned, sketching a bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeonghan, I didn’t see you there.  May I borrow your husband for a moment?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan flicked his eyes to his husband, “Of course you may, Sonya, enjoy yourself.  Is your husband here tonight?  Can I get a dance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, he’s not.” She turned away and stepped into an embrace closer than Jeonghan would like until his husband gently moved her back a step and Jeonghan picked his way off the dance floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hannie?  Dance?” Yvonne tapped his shoulder, smirking like the cat that got the cream and he kissed her cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly that woman.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, she’s just, well.  Let’s put it this way.  If it hadn't been of utmost importance that the Kwons marry into wealth, she would have passed without even a cat to mourn her.  As it is, I think there will be joy upon her passing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan laughed and shook his head, “That may be, but that’s so far away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Until then, we have wine and hunting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re coming down for the hunt then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yvonne turned to look at him, “Of course I’m coming down for the hunt, what on earth do you take me for?  Lord Kim gets to sip cognac with Lord Choi and Lady Im while the rest of us go shooting?  It’s one of my favourite events.  Why the rest of the hunts don’t let ladies shoot, I honestly–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan huffed slightly, “I knew you were just coming for the shooting.  Not for my company, you don’t even like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yvonne swatted him on the shoulder and soothed over it with her thumb, “Hannie, darling.  You’re one of my favourite people, don’t ever think you aren’t.  After all, who else would I be able to discuss the comportment of my favourite individuals with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan beamed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And also hunting is fun and I love it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan pouted.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Their car dropped them home at around midnight, a footman helping Jeonghan out of the car before disappearing politely.  They walked quietly through their town house, closing their bedroom doors behind them with a gentle click.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Alone at last.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan sat down in front of the vanity, slipping his feet out of his shoes and tucking them under the wing backed chair.  He yawned, and unscrewed his earrings, dropping them with a clink into a bowl, followed quickly by his watch, several rings, and a handful of hair clips.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He left the necklace on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan shrugged out of his blouse, shaking it off his shoulders and untying the bow, draping it over the chair and catching Seungcheol’s eyes in the mirror.  He blinked, shimmying out of his trousers, feeling Seungcheol’s eyes on his bare back as he leaned to tug them off his feet.  He unpeeled his stay-ups, slipped off his underpants and put everything over the chair for the maid to deal with in the morning before brushing his hair out gently.  It wasn’t as long as it used to be, merely longer than his ears, but it was so quick to tangle nonetheless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Putting the brush down on the vanity, Jeonghan stood and padded over to the bed.  Climbing the steps he turned and collapsed back into the pile of furs and cashmeres that made up their bed coverings with a whoosh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at the ceiling for a moment, looking at the ornate chandelier that Seungcheol had deemed essential for their bedroom.  He folded his hand over the necklace and his arm under his head, looking over to where Seungcheol was curling his tie into its box.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You promised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol put the box away and slipped off his belt, hanging it up on one of its hooks, “I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan hummed, closing his eyes and simply listening to Seungcheol undress.  From the gentle brush of fabric on fabric as he put things away to the pad of his feet on the carpet as he crossed the room to their bed.  He kneeled up onto it and scooped a palm under Jeonghan’s back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan opened his eyes.  “My Lord Baron.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lord Marquess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan arched up the final few centimetres to claim his husband’s lips, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and tangling his fingers in the short strands.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His husband unclasped his necklace and slipped it free, setting it to the side of the bed and pressing a knee between Jeonghan’s thighs.  Jeonghan hummed into the kiss before pulling back and leaning into Seungcheol’s hand, trusting that he could hold him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You promised.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know I did, I did-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wore it all evening, and you promised–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol kissed him quiet.  “Don’t be petulant, darling, it doesn’t suit you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan raised an eyebrow, “I thought everything suited me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol dropped Jeonghan into the furs and caged him down with his arms, “Now, now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan reached up to pet Seungcheol’s collarbone, curling his fingers over it.  “Please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I never said I wouldn’t.  I didn’t even ask you to wait.  I just wanted to kiss you first, my darling.  You’re too impatient.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we kiss all the time, and I just wanted–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol pressed him down further into the furs with a hand on his sternum.  “And you’ll get it.  I promise.  Have I ever broken a promise?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right.  Now, wait.  Because as beautiful as that whip is, I think it’ll draw blood and I’d like to keep our furs white.  That’ll have to wait until we go down to the country.  The bed linen is red in Landshoven, isn’t it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded slowly, “But–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling.  When I say ‘no’ in matters like this, you don’t get to challenge my decision.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan opened his mouth and Seungcheol put his finger over his lips, “No.  Remember?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan closed his mouth, closing his eyes, eyelashes whispering off his cheeks.  “I remember.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Seungcheol kneeled up and stepped off the bed, walking over to a closet in the corner of their room and opening a door.  There were a dozen implements on the inside, and Seungcheol ran his hands over several before choosing one.  It was brown leather with about 30 tails.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan blinked, eyes suddenly heavy and he wanted—no—he needed Seungcheol’s hands on him right now.  “My Lord–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two minutes, darling.  Wait patiently, please.” Seungcheol closed the cabinet and crossed back to the bed to put the flogger down by Jeonghan’s feet.  He went around the room, gathering small bottles and towels and a foam cushion from another cabinet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lord–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I said be patient.”  Seungcheol didn’t even look at him, throwing a robe on and leaving the room.  Jeonghan stared at the ceiling.  He’d be back soon.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Surely he’d be back soon.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan rolled over—Seungcheol hadn’t said to stay still—and curled up, pulling one of the cashmere blankets up over his waist.   He closed his eyes and tried not to listen to the ticking of the clock.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Tock,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Tock,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Tock,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tick.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Tock,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door opened again, “Oh, darling,” Seungcheol sat up beside Jeonghan and ran his hand down his spine, “I just went to get water.  I’m back now, not going anywhere.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You promised.” Jeonghan’s voice was small.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol kissed his shoulder, “I did.  Are you ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded but didn’t uncurl, fingers clasped in the blanket.  Seungcheol took hold of them gently, and tugged Jeonghan towards himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me your words, Marquess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan stared at his chest, “Butterfly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol stroked his thumb, “And your pause word?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Brilliant.  Do you want a kiss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded and threw off the blanket, kneeling into Seungcheol’s lap and gripping his shoulders.  “When we go to Landshoven can we spend a week in bed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A week?  But you like your walks and your garden?  And hunting–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan wrapped his arms around his husband, “I want to spend a week in bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay my Lord Marquess.  We’ll try.” Seungcheol rubbed his back.  Jeonghan wouldn’t have the patience for a week in bed, unless he tired him out.  Which, he supposed, he could do.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol coaxed Jeonghan onto his back, pressing kisses all over his collarbones until Jeonghan pushed him away with a raised eyebrow, “I’m not getting any younger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pressing a kiss to his nose for that one, Seungcheol flipped him over, running a fingertip all the way down his spine just to watch him arch into it.  He nudged his knees between Jeonghan’s legs and spread them slightly, not because he needed them spread, but because Jeonghan was pretty stretched out like that underneath him.  He was pretty anywhere near a bed.  Or stretched out.  Or underneath him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hips up,” Seungcheol slid the cushion underneath him and eased Jeonghan back down onto it before patting his bum, “Arranged so prettily for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan was curiously quiet and Seungcheol moved up to kiss his cheeks and take his hands, “Comfy?”  He kissed Jeonghan’s knuckles and then tucked them under the pillows above his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Immensely.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol picked up the flogger and dropped it down between Jeonghan’s feet, kissing his soles and ankles and inner calves and the backs of his knees, letting his stubble drag over the tender skin and send Jeonghan squirming.  Not that he could squirm very far when Seungcheol had his legs trapped against the blankets.  He nosed up his inner thighs, kissing and nipping and then stopped, eliciting a desperate whine from Jeonghan.  Seungcheol hummed against the reddening skin before pulling away with one last kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knocked Jeonghan’s legs out further, taking the last semblance of balance and control away from him.  He teetered a little, but there was nowhere he could go.  Hands pressed above his head, legs spread too wide to be of help, and hips raised off the bed; all to showcase the unblemished skin—soon to be blemished.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol hummed, pleased, and picking up the flogger, pressed a final kiss to the very tip of his cleft.  Jeonghan squirmed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He retraced the path his lips had made with the flogger, trailing it up and down Jeonghan’s legs and then over his back; gently, barely there.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol liked to draw it out, make the minutes bleed into hours and then into dawn, Jeonghan’s pleas and whines and high pitched cries blending with its chorus.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he got back down to Jeonghan’s feet, Jeonghan was muttering curses into the furs and Seungcheol lifted the flogger away completely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan tensed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And then when Seungcheol didn’t bring it down on his skin, he relaxed, only to tense again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tease, My Lord–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t talk back, My Marquess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan huffed, and slowly, muscle by muscle, relaxed back into the bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol began his path again, slightly heavier this time—still just brushing along Jeonghan’s skin, but more solidly, more present.  </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time he was practically digging the tongues into Jeonghan’s skin, his husband was wriggling.  Seungcheol smiled to himself and brought it down with a crack on his upper thigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan stilled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Down with a crack on his right thigh.  </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Pause.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>He trailed it up Jeonghan’s back, across his shoulders and then lifted it up, sending it whistling down onto his back with a whoosh and a crack and then his shoulders, down his back, across his thighs, down his legs, on each foot, once, twice—lighter than the rest, but still heavy enough that Jeonghan was squirming, gasping, tiny little hitched breaths into the fabric, little wet noises that just increased in volume and frequency with every lash.  </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually Jeonghan was moving too much and Seungcheol didn’t want to hit certain spots; Jeonghan may be masochistic but he didn’t want to be irreparably damaged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My little Marquess, you’re so fidgety tonight!  What are we going to do with you, hm?” Seungcheol felt for the cuffs and pulled one up, wrapping it around Jeonghan’s ankle.  “Cuffs?”  Jeonghan hummed and Seungcheol shook his head with a smile.  He strapped his other ankle and massaged his thumb over the tendon before heading up to kiss him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan pulled them from under the pillows and thrust his left wrist towards Seungcheol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh?  You want me to tie them too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan mumbled something vaguely affirmative and closed his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol kissed Jeonghan’s knuckles and smoothed the velcro closed around his wrists.  “Are you going to be still now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Husband?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan hummed, opening his eyes to blink at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yvonne looked delectable this evening,” Seungcheol started, brushing Jeonghan’s hair off his forehead, fingers tangling in the sweat damp strands, “What was she wearing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan blinked at him, humming, Seungcheol waited, petted through his hair slowly.  “Xu Hao.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded, “She’s lucky.  I want one.”  Jeonghan’s voice was quiet, wispy like cirrus clouds, hardly there at all.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol pressed a smiling kiss to his brow, down his jaw, to his shoulder, “More?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always, Lord–” Seungcheol cut him off with a kiss.  Jeonghan smiled against his lips, his pleased, satisfied smile—and then he bit his lower lip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol pulled back and raised his eyebrow, “You really are something else, Marquess you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan only smiled, eyes slipping closed and turning his head back into the little divot he’d made in the fabric.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol shook his head, picking back up the flogger and delivering ten loud, heavy, hard lashes down upon his previously untouched backside.  Jeonghan didn’t even make a noise, just arched into it and tried, unsuccessfully, to wiggle a little.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Most of Jeonghan’s skin was a healthy shade of magenta, blushing up nicely.  Seungcheol returned to his husband’s shoulders, one, two, three lashes each should bring them blooming along.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He tapped the flogger against Jeonghan’s feet, thinking.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Several circuits of the flogger over Jeonghan’s skin later, Seungcheol headed back up to his head, “Darling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan was drooling, mouth slightly open, and Seungcheol petted along his lips with two fingers before slipping them inside.  Jeonghan hummed throatily and Seungcheol bit back a laugh.  He stroked them along Jeonghan’s tongue, gentle at first and then after adding a third finger, a little heavier.  Prying Jeonghan’s mouth open a touch wider he turned his fingers to drag their tips along Jeonghan’s soft palette, pressing then gently as back as far as they would–</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan closed his teeth down lightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay okay.”  Seungcheol petted his cheeks instead, running one finger along the inside of his teeth, another along the soft flesh; relishing in the amount of saliva oozing out of his mouth and down onto the pillows, down his wrist, over his cheeks, his neck.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan had started to suck gently on the digits, running his tongue over them reverently, possessively; when Seungcheol stopped petting his teeth, he closed his lips around them as much as he could and sucked hard.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan pouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’d happily stay there all day, wouldn’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan mangled out a response around the fingers, something about yes but not when he wanted to be whipped goddamn it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol laughed again and wiggled them free, pressing a kiss into the mess of Jeonghan’s face and wiping his fingers off in his hair.  Jeonghan whined, and clicked his teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cheol–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, okay.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan was a delicious shade of red now, blood red, and Seungcheol stepped back, considered, before bringing the flogger back down where he knew Jeonghan wanted it.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Twice.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol paused every now and then to wait for Jeonghan’s impatient wiggle or hiss or whine.  He brought it down a total of fifteen times before feathering it all over his body again, heavy at first, and then gradually lighter, the tips of the tails barely touching Jeonghan’s skin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The flogger landed on the floor with a thud and Seungcheol un-tied Jeonghan’s ankles, massaging them carefully, and placing them gently back in the centre of the bed.  He let the spreader bar roll off the bed, clunking down the steps onto the floor and rolling halfway across the room.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He would pity the maids, but they were used to it at this stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan whined when he unfastened the handcuffs, Seungcheol just kissed his wrists and tucked them back under the pillows.  “Wait a minute, treasure.”  He held Jeonghan’s hips up and pulled the foam cushion free, tossing it on the ground and kissing his hip, leaving his hands under his hips until Jeonghan wriggled down into the blankets with a satisfied sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Digging through the tangle of furs and blankets for one of the bottles he’d brought over earlier, Seungcheol upended it into his hands, rubbing them together and gently coating Jeonghan’s back, shoulders, thighs, bum, feet—whole body—in the creamy substance.  Jeonghan’s tiny hisses of protest went unheeded.  He smoothed the cream into his skin until it was mostly invisible and then pressed a kiss to the nape of Jeonghan’s neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want pyjamas?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you want me, I’m just going to put pyjamas on, do you want some?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not trousers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol snickered against his neck, “One of the dressy things then?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded, “Yes please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second Seungcheol left the bed, Jeonghan mooched, pressing all of his skin into the fabric and making tiny little noises of pleasure.  Their bed was decadent and lush, each blanket or pillow handpicked by one or both of them.  It was a sensual experience, more so when one’s nerves were on high alert and everything translated to pure and utter pleasure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol manhandled Jeonghan into the long plain cotton nightdress that he preferred after a session like this, and Jeonghan pulled him down on top of him, pressing lips to his and stretching his arms above his head, hands clasped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol kissed him, gently, intently, intoxicatingly, hand on his hands, holding him down.  Jeonghan melted into the mattress, turning his head to press his cheek against Seungcheol’s, eyes slipping closed and humming with satisfaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Draw blood next time.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol poured a generous splash of brandy into three glasses and handed them to Lady Im and Lord Kim, the three of them standing in the window, watching their spouses ride off into the forest.  There was a smattering of dark clouds overhead, but the radio had promised that it would stay dry.  The sun shone through them, sending shards of shadowed light onto the forest.  Seungcheol was glad he wasn’t going with them.  He loved Jeonghan beyond all belief, but he didn’t hold with hunting.  Hadn’t got the stomach for it.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dear Lord Choi,” Lady Im sipped slowly from her glass, eyes twinkling at Seungcheol, “I do believe you’ve been holding out on me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed, you never told me you had a brandy this fine,” Lord Kim’s lips twitched and Seungcheol looked between them with a raised eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve drunk this before.  Both of you.  In this very library.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re no fun,”  Lord Kim finished his glass and set it down on the windowsill, “Yvonne gets to go gallivanting, while we stand here and drink.  It’s supposed to stay dry, so my most esteemed fellows, shall we take a turn around the lauded Landshoven estate?  Show me what is so special about it that you come here every summer even though you despise hunting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, that’s easy.  I could tell you that,” Lady Im turned and raised her glass towards the doorway, “The Marquess’s infamous Red Room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the Marquess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Indeed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friends, can you cease?” Seungcheol had his head in his hands, “And there’s no need to be so formal, we’re all intimate here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence.  Followed by a kiss to both of his ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go for a walk, Seungcheol.  Dinner’s not till when?  Six?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Providing they’re back by five, we’ll sit at six.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When are you expecting Xu?” Lady Im asked, prising Seungcheol’s glass from his hands and slipping her hand into one of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometime after four.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, lend us some shoes and we can explore the estate.  Oh,” Lord Kim lit up, “Can we bring Bella and Sophie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol squeezed Lady Im’s hand before stepping towards the door, “I’m sure you’ve both left walking shoes here.  And of course, they’re both dying to see you again, Mingyu.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Mingyu ended up walking ahead of them, tricked into throwing stick after stick for Seungcheol’s two doberman, and unable to say no to their doleful eyes and licks.  Naeyong and Seungcheol kept a leisurely pace, not saying much of anything, just general comments on the plants and the weather, and the suffragette movement, and how lovely it was not to have to talk politics all the time.  There was a gentle breeze, warm and summery, bringing the scent of the wildflowers that bloomed in several of the gardens on the estate, and the noise of the dogs barking, Mingyu’s shouting, and the faint cracks of the guns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In other words, bliss.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They arrived back at the house just after four, handing off coats and walking sticks to Mr. Lee, before heading in for a light tea in the solarium.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol had hardly stepped into the room before he was swept up into a tight hug.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seungcheol!  So long, no see.  You haven’t met Minghao yet, am I right?  I assume Jeonghan’s told you about him?” Junhui kissed both of Seungcheol’s cheeks firmly before stepping back and nodding at the other two.  “My esteemed colleagues.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Im, Naeyong please.  A pleasure to make your acquaintance…” Naeyong trailed off, hand extended and Junhui took it, pressing a kiss to it’s back with a half bow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir Junhui Wen.  The pleasure is all mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She slipped her hand free with a demure, “I’m sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Kim, please call me Mingyu.  I do believe you know my wife?”  Mingyu clasped his hand before sitting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, we met while we were studying.  This is my intended, Xu Minghao. You may know him for his exquisite gowns—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s an honour to meet you both, please excuse him,” Minghao wrapped his arm around Junhui’s waist and cut him off, “He has an unfortunate tendency to be a touch verbose.  Lord Choi, I do apologise for being forward, but your butler let us in, and my correspondence with the Marquess led me to believe—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol laid a hand on his shoulder, “Please, welcome.  Join us for tea.  The Marquess is out hunting, but he shall be back for dinner.  Make yourself comfortable.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time the hunting party had come back, clattering into the hall with laughter, they had all changed for dinner, listening to a record in the drawing room, the hum of conversation and the clink of glasses, as Naeyong took it upon herself to make sure nobody’s glass ever ran dry.  One would have thought she was the lady of the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That is, until Jeonghan moved into the room, head turned in conversation with Lord Hong, but greeted the room with a smile within a second.  He was clad in a floor length ivory gown, and it should have looked wrong on him, shouldn’t have hugged and enhanced and drawn the eye—except to what wasn’t there—but it covered his body like a second skin.  The skirts split off into a handful of panels just above the knee, and pooled on the floor.  He had a string of saltwater pearls around his neck and a set of pearls nestled in his ears, and a smile like he knew exactly how priceless he looked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My apologies for our tardiness, I trust my Lord Baron has been entertaining you?” Jeonghan glowed under the attention, pressing a kiss to Naeyong’s cheek as he passed her, and moulding himself to Seungcheol’s side.  “Husband.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The picture of a host, Jeonghan.  How was the hunt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Profitable,” a smile played around his lips and he looked meaningfully at Yvonne and Lord Hong, “In more ways than one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hannie—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happens in the forest, stays in the forest, didn’t we agree?” Lord Hong sounded darkly amused, picking up three flutes and handing one to Yvonne and Jeonghan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan took a sip and batted his eyelashes at him, “But my dear Lord—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marquess?”  Minghao stepped closer and Jeonghan blinked, turning to him with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Xu Minghao, a pleasure to finally put a face to the name.  Tell me, are you enjoying yourself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Undoubtedly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s what I like to hear.  Tell us if you feel uncomfortable.  I’m sure your intended remembers where his room is?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Junhui flushed, wrapping an arm around Minghao’s waist and frowning at Jeonghan.  “Of course I do.  You look fantastic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beaming, Jeonghan took a sip of champagne, “Why thank you, although you’ll have to pass on your compliments to your intended.  How he managed to create this gown without a fitting, I admit I am quite impressed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was nothing,” Minghao had a dusting of red across his cheekbones, “And my pleasure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was absolutely not nothing!” Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, “Magnificent work.  Yvonne wore one of your creations several weeks ago—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have never felt more confident and attractive, and let me tell you, those are both emotions that I feel all the time, so that was truly an achievement.  And of course it had the added benefit of inspiring jealousy in Lady Forsyth.   My compliments.”  Yvonne turned at the sound of her name and by the time she finished, Minghao’s skin was approaching the shade of a tomato.  Junhui kissed his shoulder and wrapped his other arm around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My intended is fantastically talented.  And fantastically shy, forgive him.”</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They all moved into the library after dinner.  Coffee was served, and then Seungcheol dismissed the staff for the evening.  The second the door had closed behind them, Yvonne had toed off her heels and turned, crossing her feet into Mingyu’s lap and leaning against the arm of the couch.  Jeonghan poured himself another glass of champagne, and cradling the flute in one hand, picked up his skirt and arranged himself in Seungcheol’s lap.  Seungcheol didn’t break conversation, steadying his husband with one hand and asking Joshua about his latest trip to the tropics.  Jeonghan was the same, holding court with Minghao and Naeyong, the three of them deep in conversation about Minghao’s latest commission and how it could relate to Naeyong’s work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Junhui flicked through the records, eventually choosing one and lowering the needle onto it carefully, waiting as it crackled through several seconds of dead air before the soft strains of Tchaikovsky filled the room.  He slipped onto the couch beside Yvonne, and she shifted to lean against his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If there was one thing they all adored about Landshoven, it was the casual intimacy, and lack of formalities.  The fact that Minghao was slowly relaxing into Naeyong’s side as the evening went on, and Jun wouldn’t be surprised if he fell asleep on her shoulder before the night was out.  How Yvonne would inevitably end up in his lap, and how it was always a toss up over where Joshua would spend the night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After all, while they lived in pairs, they hunted in triangles and loved in polygons.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan twisted in the red sheets, rolling over to bury his face into a pile of furs, he was cold.  Seungcheol refused to sleep here, and it had the best mattress, so more often than not they ended up staying in separate rooms half of their summer holidays.  And Jeonghan didn’t particularly enjoy it.  He sat up and rubbed at his eyes.  Seungcheol had promised him he’d keep him in bed this week, and well, it looked like he was going to have to get up and find him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marquess?” Elsa stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, “Would you like help dressing this morning?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good morning, Elsa.  Where’s the Baron, do you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s taking breakfast in the sun room,” She picked her way across the room, tidying shoes and collecting the glasses onto a tray.  “Are you getting up today?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan turned to look out the window, the shoulder of his nightgown slipping down.  He yawned.  “I suppose I must.  I’ll wear the silver, I think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Very good, Sir.” Elsa opened the closets and pulled out the silver sheath dress and draped it over a chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, the suit.  With the silver blouse.  Those wide trousers, I did bring them down, didn’t I?” Jeonghan stood and walked over to the windows.  It was a clear day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Certainly, here you are, sir,” Elsa unfolded the dressing curtain and handed him his outfit piece by piece.  He sat down at the vanity while she did up the clasps on the back of the intricate blouse and settled his necklace, fixed his hair.  “Perfect.  Will you be joining the Baron for breakfast?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.  Thank you, Elsa.”  Jeonghan fiddled with his rings before slipping his feet into delicate silver slippers and standing.  He swept out of the room and down the staircase, thinking as he walked down the long hallway to the sun room, that Seungcheol had promised him that metal whip.  And they didn’t have guests for another five days, and neither of them had any engagements, and his sheets were red—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling, you’re up,” Seungcheol stood as he entered the room, taking him by the elbows and kissing his cheeks, “I wasn’t expecting you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I missed you, and you weren’t there,” Jeonghan leaned against him for a second before nodding at one of the servants and sitting down.  “You promised me the whip.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol raised an eyebrow, “Are you certain you’re not too tender?”  He speared a sliver of sausage and a section of tomato.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.  I’d like it today, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll see what I can do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan carefully didn’t pout, just nodded and smiled and sipped his tea.  </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since you’ve been so patient,” Seungcheol whispered, unravelling Jeonghan’s top and draping it over a chair, “I brought that whip down.  Are you sure—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes I’m sure,” Jeonghan pressed the words to his lips, the simmering franticness that he’d managed to push down for the past few months suddenly overtaking him, he nipped Seungcheol’s lips, “Please—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol undid his trousers, holding Jeonghan still as he pulled them away, and then swept him up into his arms and pressed him into the mattress.  “I had James sterilise it earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan shivered, the images flashing through his mind, he shuddered and Seungcheol pressed his palm against his sternum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling, relax.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am relaxed, my Lord Baron, please?” Jeonghan squirmed leaning up to kiss him desperately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fifteen gentle kisses did nothing to quell the anticipation and excitement and when Seungcheol finally finished his careful exploration of Jeonghan’s body, fingertips finally ceasing their pressing and prodding—it wasn’t that he didn’t trust him to tell him if something hurt...it was just that he didn’t trust him to realise that something hurt—he’d gone long beyond excited.  Jeonghan was a vibrating wire of anticipation and Seungcheol kissed his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Onto your stomach, my Marquess.  Do you think you can hold yourself up?  Hands and knees.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan pushed himself up, already trembling slightly and then Seungcheol was warming him up, alternating between his hands and a paddle and Jeonghan hummed, smiling and pushing back into him, eager, impatient, needy—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lord?” Where had he gone, why wasn’t he touching him, where was the whip?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two seconds, Marquess.  Take a breath for me.  Flex your wrists, I don’t want you falling over.”  Seungcheol’s voice was far away and Jeonghan did as he was told, rotating each wrist and rolling his shoulders.  He wanted that whip, goddamn it.  Thinking of James having to sterilise it, knowing well what it was going to be used for made Jeonghan feel glowy, hot and heavy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He flinched, Seungcheol’s hands were cold on his hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Down onto your chest, bum up,” Seungcheol pressed between his shoulders gently until Jeonghan collapsed onto the bed, nosing the sheets and wiggling in his bruising grip.  He wanted marks, lots of marks, marks he could press his fingers to and that nobody could see.  Well.  Maybe their friends could see them, they’d just laugh at him and he’d go all glowy.  Jeonghan meeped as Seungcheol tugged him back, until his heels were just at the edge of the bed, and fastened them in place. “Steady now.  I want you to tell me if it hurts, alright?  And I’m going to stop whenever I think I need to.  Don’t beg.  It’s not endearing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Don’t beg, don’t beg, Jeonghan would like to see Seungcheol try not to—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The whip cracked down on his skin and Jeonghan’s mind went blank with the pain.  He thought he screamed, he couldn’t tell over the roaring of blood in his ears and the hot hot hot pain across the tops of his thighs.  He panted, drooling onto the bed sheets already, pushing back for more, barely aware of Seungcheol’s amused comment.  He drew in a shaky breath.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was divine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The whip cracked down again and Jeonghan was a little more ready for it this time, whimpering and huffing through the white hot pain, lower down his thighs this time, why Seungcheol insisted on avoiding his cheeks until halfway through, Jeonghan never knew—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cried out, lower down again this time, just above his knees, the pain was delicious.  There were going to be marks for days.  Weeks.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His calves!  Seungcheol hardly ever—oh he loved him.  He tried to tell him so, but it came out garbled and hissed as Seungcheol brought the whip down on his lower thighs again.  This was the best impulse purchase he had ever made.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time Seungcheol brought the whip down on his buttocks, FINALLY, Jeonghan was trying to arch back, a steady stream of “Lord, lord, my lord?” Until Seungcheol put the whip down and crouched beside him, rubbing his shoulder and drawing a thumb across his lips.  Concentrate, he wanted to ask him something, not to suck his fingers.  Although, he did want to suck his fingers—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Darling?” Seungcheol sounded like he was laughing and Jeonghan blinked, trying to force him to come into focus, blinking rapidly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lord?  Blood?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now he was definitely laughing, “Yes my masochistic Marquess.  You’re bleeding.  Do you want to see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, yes,” Jeonghan tried to nod, puckering his lips, “Kiss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His ever obliging, oh so perfect, what would he do without him, husband kissed him slowly, coaxing tiny whimpers and moans from his lips and brushing away his tears with the pad of his thumb.  And then he vanished, dragging something along his thighs before coming back to him and opening a brilliantly white handkerchief to reveal a ruby red stain.  Jeonghan shivered and kissed him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“More.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only a little bit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I want more!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t quite slap him, but Jeonghan's cheek stung and he blinked, tears streaming onto the sheets.  “My Lord?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t challenge me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan shook at the tone of his voice and nodded, whispering an apology, for what he wasn’t so very sure, but Seungcheol disappeared and the white burning pain took care of Jeonghan’s worries for another little while.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He thought he maybe bit his tongue.  He could taste blood, and he started to twitch away from Seungcheol instead of into him, his happy cries and whines turning to scared whimpers and flinches until Seungcheol dropped the whip and pressed a dozen kisses to Jeonghan’s lower back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His knees hurt, his hips hurt, his legs hurt, and Jeonghan was starting to regret pushing this so very far, or at least trying to, his head was very much a mess of ‘oh no’ and ‘Cheol Cheol’ and ‘chocolate’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay still, darling.  I’ll be back in a moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan barely had time to process the sentence before Seungcheol was back, easing him down onto the bed and pressing kisses up his spine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just going to clean you up, it’ll sting a little, but you’ll be okay.  The cuts aren’t deep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded and nuzzled into the duvet, eyes falling shut.  The antiseptic stung, the smell burning his nose, but it was a familiar pain, and was quickly soothed by a cream and a soft cotton bandage.  Over and over, until he was bundled up and Seungcheol finally relaxed, leaving his hands on Jeonghan’s thighs.  He maybe said something, or asked something, Jeonghan couldn’t really tell, he was too hazy to focus.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Jeonghan?  Darling, can you hear me?” Seungcheol was nose to nose with him and Jeonghan blinked, skittering back as much as he could and shivering.  “Hey, it’s okay.  It’s only me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan blinked again, focus focus focus, Seungcheol, red, Landshoven, oh the whip.  Oh, right.  Okay.  He blinked again.  Everything hurt.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurts, Cheol—” His throat hurt too, scratchy like he’d been screaming.  He was cold, why was he cold?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s get some pyjamas on you, and then we can find some painkillers.  And hot chocolate.  What about that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan coughed, “Honey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol’s face went gentle, his eyes beaming at him and he reached for Jeonghan’s hand, rubbing his thumb along the back of it carefully.  “Sure.  Can you kneel up?  Don’t try to sit right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded, gripping Seungcheol’s hand and kneeling up, he shivered, Seungcheol looked warm.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He blinked.  He had pyjamas on.  He thought.  Maybe?  Where had Seungcheol gone?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here, just hold on a second.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m losing time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just a few moments.  You’re alright.  I’m going to pick you up now, okay?” Seungcheol had his hand on Jeonghan’s hip  and Jeonghan relaxed, turning into his chest and nodding.  Seungcheol swept him up, settling him into a bridal hold and Jeonghan kissed his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t mean to push.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I shouldn’t have gone so far.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Twas nice, just, at the end—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I got a little too intense, I know.  I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sometimes you scare me.” Jeonghan managed, pressing his face to the crook of Seungcheol’s neck and taking a deep breath, he hadn’t meant to say that, but he rarely had control of himself after they played, and today had been intense.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do too, darling.  Sometimes you get so frantic I get worried.  I think we’re done scening for a while, darling.  At least on our own.  Okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan shivered, “Yeah.  I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too, darling.  Now,” He elbowed open the kitchen door and set Jeonghan down on his feet, “Can you stand for a second?  I’m just going to find a cushion?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’ll hurt, I’ll just hold onto the table.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol looked at him and slowly let go, watching as Jeonghan transferred all of his weight onto the table beside him with a light hiss, but didn’t fall over.  “Okay.”  He hunted down the honey and scooped out a spoonful, feeding it to Jeonghan carefully before screwing the lid back on and setting the jar on the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan watched him with heavy eyes as he set the milk to boil and whisked in chocolate and cream, turning every few seconds to make sure Jeonghan was still upright.  He loved him.  Even when they messed up.  He’d make sure he didn’t have to leave the bed for the next week, Seungcheol would wait on him hand and foot, and he was still buzzing with the aftershocks, even though everything hurt.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol handed him a mug, wrapping his arm around his waist and taking most of his weight, kissing his hair.  “Drink up.  Talk to me, what did you like?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything before you slapped me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol’s intake of breath made Jeonghan wince, he gulped his hot chocolate and burned the roof of his mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lord Marquess, you should have said something.  You know the rules, I hardly thought it necessary to remind you of them.  Don’t you dare do something like that again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan arched his neck a little and shivered, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking properly, and then it was all white and stingy and then it hurt hurt and you didn’t hear me,” he was shaking again, “I didn’t mean to, I just, my words weren’t working—”  He turned and buried his face into Seungcheol’s chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol pressed his face into Jeonghan’s hair, Jeonghan could hear his brain working away and pressed closer.  He hadn’t meant to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to give out to you anymore.  Enough pain has been caused.  But please don't do that again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan nodded and Seungcheol sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ve got to take better care.  We both have.  Alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re sleeping in my bed tonight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan was relieved, sinking against Seungcheol a little heavier, and finally relaxing.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They managed to make it two months.  Until the end of August, and Seungcheol didn’t exactly want to go straight into something intense, so he put Jeonghan off with kisses, with sex, with distractions and managed to keep him just on the edge of absolutely needing it just until the last weekend of August.  Just until there were other people in the house.  Just until their circle was there and Seungcheol could relax, knowing they’d all catch them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan had been clingy, hesitant to let Seungcheol out of his sight, sleeping in his room instead of his preferred red one, asking at least once a day for a scene, for something, just anything.  And Seungcheol had refused.  He wasn’t as confident in himself as he’d like to be, and more pertinently, he had plans.  Plans that involved Jeonghan being just this side of desperate, just this side of falling apart at the slightest touch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he’d held out too long.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan pressed himself against Seungcheol’s side until Seungcheol wrapped an arm around him and the others went to get their boots on.  “Darling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan turned to hide in his front, tangling his fingers through Seungcheol’s cuffs and holding his breath.  “You have plans for later?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Figured that out did you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Hong has that belt on, and Lady Im is wearing trousers—” he cut himself off and held Seungcheol’s hand tightly.  “What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to have fun, and take care of you.  Sound okay?”  Seungcheol smiled into his hair and rubbed his back gently, looking up to see Joshua leaning in the doorway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hannie?  Are you ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan leaned up for a kiss and then stepped back, fiddling with the waist of his jodhpurs and crossing the room to follow Joshua out to the stables.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>While Yvonne, Joshua and Jeonghan went hunting, the other three planned and plotted—political manœuvres as well as evening plots don’t get him wrong, but more of one than the other.  The hunting party came back sooner than expected, Joshua stopping by the drawing room on his way to help Jeonghan change, and then vanishing after him and Yvonne.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Dressed and clean and hungry, they met their spouses for aperitifs, and Seungcheol wasn’t surprised when Jeonghan glued himself to his side.  Nor was he surprised when he forwent everyone’s first names, and slipped into calling them all by their titles.  They all stuck with ‘Jeonghan’, and by the time they went through for dinner, Jeonghan was visibly slipping.  Naeyong was seated on one side of him, and spent most of the meal whispering to him, and by the reddening of his cheeks, Seungcheol didn’t have to imagine what exactly it was that she was saying.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They retired to the library for coffee, and Jeonghan went to sit on Seungcheol’s lap but he stopped him.  “Go up and change, Marquess-mine, there’s something on your bed.  Come right back down.” Seungcheol kissed him gently and pushed him towards the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol knew the outfit was a bit of a stretch, but he had faith.  Jeonghan’s skin offset green so well, and Jeonghan loved silk.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They talked for a while, Mingyu and Yvonne regaling them with the tales of their holiday to America until the door cracked open and Jeonghan all but ran across the room—bare feet patting on the wood and silk fluttering—to hide in Seungcheol’s lap.  Seungcheol met Naeyong’s eyes with a quiet chuckle and smoothed the peignoir over Jeonghan’s thighs.  “Darling?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a lot.” Jeonghan whispered into his neck and Seungcheol hummed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know it is.  You look so perfect,” Seungcheol murmured, and Jeonghan leaned back to blink at him, cheeks flushed and hair tickling his eyelashes.  Seungcheol brushed it back into place and kissed him gently.  “What do you think?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s pretty.  I like it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go kneel beside Lord Hong, my Marquess.”  The others had been keeping up their conversation, a gentle murmur of pretend privacy, but it didn’t quite seem like Jeonghan had remembered they were there.  He blushed, dark berries bleeding onto his cheeks, but he slipped off Seungcheol’s lap and crossed over to Joshua.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua crooned something at him, too quietly for Seungcheol to hear, but Jeonghan kissed him before slipping down onto a cushion and leaning against his legs.  Blushing.  Looking at the floor.  But he settled the peignoir out so that he wasn’t hidden up in it, and so everyone could see the pretty matching bralette and tap pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why, my Lord Choi,” Mingyu started, “You have such a pretty Marquess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Positively ravishing!” Naeyong praised, hands coming together as if in prayer.  Jeonghan’s blush deepened and Seungcheol smiled broadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My dear friends—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yvonne burst out laughing, toppling over into Naeyong’s side, Naeyong rescuing the teacup and saucer before the liquid scalded them both.  “My dear Lady Kim—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Naeyong, I can’t take it—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naeyong kissed her quiet.  “Do try not to injure us, would you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yvonne just laughed, settling against her side and picking back up her saucer to take a dainty sip.  “Boys?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well my dear Lord Choi?” Mingyu leaned over to gaze into Seungcheol’s eyes, “We shan’t let the ladies have all the fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why Lord Kim,” Joshua drawled, “I do hope you weren’t referring to my good self.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mingyu hovered, halfway to meeting Seungcheol’s lips, eyes widening—</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I would have to take an exception.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not, Lord Hong, I meant nothing of the sort—” Mingyu spun around, only to catch the twinkle in Joshua’s eyes.  “You are awful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In spite of my better judgement.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua’s laughter filled the room, and Mingyu turned back around with a huff, dropping a kiss on Seungcheol’s lips before sitting back down and stretching out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol picked up his own cup of cooling coffee and picked back up the conversation about holidays, checking in on Jeonghan every few moments.  Joshua had his hand carding constantly through his hair, and Jeonghan looked like he was about to melt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seungcheol?  Where did you get the peignoir?  It’s really gorgeous.  I think I’d like one.” Naeyong gestured towards Jeonghan and Seungcheol cocked his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, it’s a ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>Lucile’.</span>
  </em>
  <span>  There was a gorgeous one in sheer, but I somehow thought that would be too much.  I thought you might like it.”  If he’d gotten her a matching one for her birthday then well, she’d just have to wait the requisite three weeks to find out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you bought it anyway, I’m assuming?”  They all knew of Seungcheol’s penchant for showering Jeonghan in garments.  He didn’t answer, merely looked at Jeonghan with a raised eyebrow, prompting a squirm and a blush.  Of course he’d bought it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naeyong huffed.  “Selfish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Possessive.” Mingyu corrected her gently and she rolled her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you say.”  Naeyong didn’t experience jealousy.  Rather, she was a vivacious experiencer of compersion.  Complementing wonderfully with her absolute lack of interest in her husband.  They made each other happy.  They loved each other.  But both of them found sexual satisfaction elsewhere.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yvonne leaned up to kiss her again, “Shush you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Were those whip marks that I saw?” Mingyu asked and Jeonghan’s eyes flew open, staring at Seungcheol with increasingly red cheeks, and squirming as there was a wave of laughter.  Seungcheol nodded, smirking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Show us.” Joshua murmured, tugging Jeonghan up and turning him around, running his thumb down his nose and lifting the peignoir up out of the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my,” Mingyu breathed, “What did you use?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeonghan brought a metal whip necklace home a while back—you may remember it from that party where Yvonne wore the Xu gown—and I waited until we had red sheets to bring it out.  So much easier to ignore blood on blood you know.”  Oh he did so enjoy showing off his artwork.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan was squirming madly, and Joshua kissed his collar bone and dug his fingers into the welts until Jeonghan stilled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, they’re gorgeous, Jeonghan are they still sore?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When they’re touched, Lord Kim.” Jeonghan whispered and Joshua grinned.  Seungcheol laughed, if only they knew.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua put the blushing Marquess back down on his knees where he hid his face in Joshua’s legs, hands remaining on his knees solely by virtue of good training, and shaking slightly in what Seungcheol could only assume was embarrassment.  Seungcheol sipped his coffee and met Naeyong’s eyes.  They were twinkling with mirth.  All in a good day’s work.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>When the clock struck eleven, Mingyu followed Naeyong and his wife upstairs, leaving Joshua and Seungcheol still talking, sipping on glasses of ice water while the fire burned down to its embers.  Jeonghan was very nearly asleep, leaning into Joshua’s knee, yawning softly every few minutes.  Joshua looked at Seungcheol and raised his eyebrow.  Seungcheol nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hannie-love?” Joshua crooned, “Do you think you can stand?  Let’s go upstairs, hm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan blinked awake, “Lord Hong?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh god, he was so precious, Seungcheol almost went over to scoop him up into an embrace but they had </span>
  <em>
    <span>plans</span>
  </em>
  <span>.  Plans that didn’t particularly include his involvement.  Much.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sweetheart, come on, up you come.” Jeonghan stood shakily and Joshua tilted his chin up to kiss him slowly, drawing a few quiet moans from him as he regained his footing.  Joshua pulled back then, and Jeonghan chased after him, getting several more gentle kisses.  Joshua snaked a hand under the peignoir and against Jeonghan’s back and Jeonghan sagged against his side with a whine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all made their way slowly up the stairs, Seungcheol closing the doors behind them as they went, heading into Seungcheol’s room, where Joshua scooped Jeonghan up and laid him gently on the bed.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your Lord Baron is going to watch us, sweetheart.  How does that sound?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan’s lips curled into a pleased smirk and he pulled Joshua down to kiss him.  Seungcheol hung up his jacket and settled his shoes in the corner, sinking into the armchair he’d had placed at the side of the bed.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan undressed Joshua slowly, each item of clothing ending up somewhere near Seungcheol’s feet—he folded them carefully—until Joshua was bare, and muttering something about the cold.  Jeonghan giggled.  He went to shrug out of the peignoir, but Joshua stopped him, pulling it back up his shoulders with several kisses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep it on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll get messy?”  Jeonghan’s voice was quite spacy and Seungcheol stayed firmly in the chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua tossed a look over to Seungcheol, “I’m sure it can be cleaned.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course it can be cleaned, darling.  And if it can’t, we’ll just get you another one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See?  Now, lie back for me sweetheart.  Seungcheol, where’s the oil?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To your left.”  Joshua found it and nodded, dropping the bottle by Jeonghan’s hip.  He leaned down to kiss him several more times.  Seungcheol shifted.  There was a whispered conversation and then Jeonghan turned to look at Seungcheol.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My Lord Baron?  Can I have a kiss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol was up and over to him before he finished the question, “Of course you can.”  Jeonghan tasted like the milk Joshua’d been practically hand-feeding him all night—sweet and honeyed—and a little like Joshua.  Seungcheol drank it all up.  Jeonghan whined when he pulled back, but Seungcheol just shushed him gently, smoothing his thumb across his lips and turning to catch Joshua in a kiss.  Joshua laughed into his mouth as Jeonghan got more and more impatient, but kissed Seungcheol like he always did—steady and slow.  Seungcheol nipped his lower lip playfully as he pulled away, getting a sharp bite in retaliation.  Point made.  Seungcheol returned to his chair, unbuttoning his slacks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Back on the bed, after plying Jeonghan with several intoxicating-looking kisses, Joshua worked the silk tap pants down Jeonghan’s legs, pressing dozens of kisses and nips to his skin as he went.  Jeonghan wiggling and squirming with each inch of revealed skin until the pants were off and Joshua kissed his way back up his legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Top on or off, sweetheart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bralette joined the tap pants in a heap on the floor, and Jeonghan pulled the peignoir back on, spreading his legs wider.  “Come on, Lord Hong—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweetheart~” Joshua nipped and Jeonghan squirmed.  “It’s Joshua, or sir if you’re feeling particularly—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir, please!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol and Joshua laughed and Joshua scooted down the bed to settle between Jeonghan’s knees and spread them even wider.  He unscrewed the oil and coated his fingers generously in the substance, pressing them against Jeonghan—Seungcheol could see the moment they entered him, not only because of the angle at which he was seated, but because Jeonghan’s entire body twitched and he let out a long moan.  Jeonghan was </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> responsive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>More responsive with Joshua, but that was mostly for Seungcheol’s benefit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Probably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then again, having been at the mercy of Joshua’s oh so talented hands, maybe it wasn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn’t long before Joshua was satisfied, slipping his fingers free and pressing kisses onto Jeonghan’s thighs, the cradle of his hips and his stomach.  “Sweetheart?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan reached for him, and Joshua went easily, kissing his cheeks and nose and mouth several times before repeating his question.  It wouldn’t be the first time Jeonghan had called it off cause he just wanted to kiss and cuddle—but not tonight.  Joshua murmured something with a quiet laugh and then sank into him slowly, swallowing down moans and whimpers with kiss after kiss after kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Staying in the chair was quickly becoming a challenge.  Seungcheol wanted to touch and kiss and tell them both how gorgeous they looked—they’d never said he couldn’t, had they?  “My my, you two look gorgeous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua flickered his eyes over to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marquess?  How are you doing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A very breathy “Good!” was all he got and Joshua laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my dear Lord Choi, watching only didn’t we say?  That almost felt participatory!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seungcheol sighed and worked his hand into his pants instead, hesitant to take his eyes off them for more than a second.  Jeonghan had progressed to crying, little hiccoughing tears that Joshua just licked away, pinning his wrists above his head and nuzzling his cheek.  Seungcheol couldn’t quite decide who’s place he’d like to take.  On one hand, Jeonghan looked so very alluring, skin glistening with sweat and tears, pinned to the mattress, silk spread out underneath him.  But on the other, Joshua was single minded, moving with what sounded like pinpoint accuracy, muscles flexing, holding Jeonghan’s wrists down with one hand and flicking his wrist over Jeonghan’s arousal with another.  All the while, whispering things into Jeonghan’s ear that had him blushing like a virgin.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why choose when he could watch the tableau? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan tensed and tensed and tensed until Joshua whispered something and then he came, spilling onto their stomachs with a sigh and turning incessantly for kisses.  Joshua didn’t slow down, kissing him and probably nipping his lips—those two and their biting—until Jeonghan was whining under the over-stimulation, tears running down his cheeks and drooling slightly, as Joshua kept kissing him.  Seungcheol sped up.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a testament either to their familiarity or with Seungcheol’s drive, but he and Joshua reached their climax simultaneously.  Joshua draped himself down over Jeonghan, and beckoned lazily at Seungcheol until he stripped and joined them, kissing shoulders and necks and eventually lips.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan was whining quietly, a litany of pleas tumbling out from his lips as Joshua sucked a bruise on his collarbone.  Seungcheol wiped his cheeks and kissed his ear, “My darling Marquess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua shifted and Jeonghan almost screamed, a high pitched moan slipping out.  Seungcheol raised an eyebrow and shifted—ah, they were still connected.  How very Joshua of him.  He ground into him in slow, tight circles and Jeonghan turned for a kiss from Seungcheol, licking at his lips messily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can do it, sweetheart, come for us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir?  Lord?  I—” Jeonghan panted and tipped his head back against the pillows, biting his lip as Joshua did something with his hand.  “Shua—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s it, darling.” Seungcheol pressed a smile to his cheek.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua wiped his hands off in the bedclothes, “There you go, sweetheart.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeonghan squirmed and squirmed and squirmed until Joshua pulled out of him carefully, and then keened at the loss until they both kissed him.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bath?” Seungcheol asked, sitting up and Joshua nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“New sheets?  New bedroom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mine?” Jeonghan asked, a half-heard mumble from where he was still settled under Joshua, hidden from view but for his hair.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The murder room?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bed’s soft, Shua, please?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Joshua kissed him carefully, “Okay, murder room it is then.  Seungcheol, tell me one of the baths in this place is big enough for three?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course it is.  The ensuite is massive.  I’ll run one.”  Seungcheol stretched and padded into the bathroom, turning on the taps and adding half a jar of bath salts.  By the time it was full, Joshua had carried Jeonghan—yawning and half asleep—through and submersed him carefully below the water line.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a very quiet bath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except for the gentle slosh of the water against the enamel, and Jeonghan’s half aware mumbles of love and adoration, the room was filled with the quiet peace of the witching hour, and the comfortable silence that comes with long term familiarity, and yawns.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By the time they got into bed, Jeonghan was already asleep.  Joshua and Seungcheol settled him between them and pulled up the blankets, exchanging sleepy kisses above his head until they too fell asleep, following him swiftly into dreamland.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>fin</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant">twt</a>,  <a href="https://curiouscat.qa/MurderRose">cc</a>.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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